Instagram defends rules on nudity

By Jonathan Blake Newsbeat technology reporter

3 June 2014 Last updated at 17:14

The co-founder of Instagram has told Newsbeat that the app's rules on nudity are "fair".

The company has faced criticism after removing photos of topless women.

But the social network's CEO Kevin Systrom said its regulations were about making the social network "the safest possible place for teens and adults".

Instagram's terms of use state: "You may not post violent, nude, partially nude… pornographic or sexually suggestive photos."

His comments came after Scout Willis, the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, protested against one of her photographs being removed from Instagram.

Rihanna, who had 1.3 million followers on Instagram before closing her account, tweeted her support for the campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Newsbeat, Kevin Systrom said the rules were the same for celebrities and regular users.

"Our goal is really to make sure that Instagram, whether you're a celebrity or not, is a safe place and that the content that gets posted is something that's appropriate for teens and also for adults," he said.

"We need to make certain rules to make sure that everyone can use it."

As it grows in popularity, Instagram has faced increased scrutiny of the type of photos posted on the social network.

The company has previously blocked certain search terms associated with the suspected sale of illegal drugs via the app.

Systrom acknowledged that the task of enforcing its rules was getting more challenging.

We share a tremendous amount of humility and respect to the fact that so many people use our products to change the world as it happens

Kevin Systrom on working with Mark Zuckerberg

He said: "The thing is, we know about the challenge and we're on top of it with technology and people.

"We have all sorts of teams in place both scanning content and listening to community reports, making sure that the right type of content is being posted."

Instagram is also releasing a major update, with nine new tools allowing users to edit their photos in greater detail.

Controls will let users adjust colour saturation and tone, which the company says will help capture moments "as they are remembered".

Kevin Systrom described a new release on iOS and Android as the app's "biggest creative update" since launch.

Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 for $1bn (£629m).

Kevin Systrom, 30, who co-founded Instagram in 2010, said it was an "easy decision" to allow the social network to buy his company.

"There are countless examples of how Facebook has helped us grow," he said.

He described his partnership with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as "wonderful".

He said: "We share a tremendous amount of humility and respect to the fact that so many people use our products to change the world as it happens.

Of course it's fun to be a small company but weekends didn't exist, nights didn't exist, you'd be trying to keep the service up and keep it stable for all our users

Kevin Systrom

"It's wonderful when you pair entrepreneurs together because they can share experiences and in some ways push each other to build better products going forward."

Instagram has begun featuring adverts for selected users in the US and plans to extend adverts to users in more countries, including the UK, this year.

So far feedback from users and advertisers had been "very encouraging", Mr Systrom said.

"It's all about high quality adverts and making sure that people really love what they see."

The Stanford University graduate said he sometimes felt nostalgic for the days when his company was just another start-up.

"Of course it's fun to be a small company but weekends didn't exist, nights didn't exist, you'd be trying to keep the service up and keep it stable for all our users," he said.

"We're now in such a better place where we're growing very quickly and the service is stable.

"You get some downtime with family and that's something really nice to have."

Listen to Newsbeat's full interview with Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom on BBC Radio 1 at 12:45 and 17:45 BST on Tuesday.

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

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Samsung launches first Tizen phone

2 June 2014 Last updated at 09:54

Samsung Electronics has launched the world's first smartphone powered by the Tizen operating system.

The Samsung Z will go on sale in Russia in the July-to-September quarter.

Most Samsung phones currently use the Android platform, but the South Korean firm has been working with chipmaker Intel to develop Tizen as an alternative operating system.

It is seen as a way to make Samsung less dependent on Android's developer, Google.

"It enables Samsung to hedge its bets much better compared to some of its rivals," Andrew Milroy, a vice president with consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, told the BBC.

"However, it is unlikely to make a significant dent on the Android market share."

The company will show off the phone at the Tizen Developer Conference, being held this week in San Francisco.

It did not disclose the device's price.

Tizen Store

Samsung is currently the world's best-selling Android device manufacturer.

Continue reading the main story

The Tizen Store will provide a special promotional program to all developers for one year"

End Quote Samsung Electronics

However, many other rivals such as HTC, Sony, LG and Huawei also use the operating system to power some of their devices.

As the competition in the smartphone sector increases, and growth rates slow, Samsung has been looking at ways to maintain its lead over rivals.

One of the areas that Samsung has been working on is Tizen - a new open source operating system for its gadgets.

"Samsung is seeking to integrate its own components, displays, software and services," said Ian Fogg from the IHS consultancy.

"Using Android makes the firm dependent on Google, meaning its ability to differentiate its products is less strong than if it had installed its own operating system.

"But by going down the Tizen route, the risk is the firm doesn't have enough high quality apps available to make the devices good enough for consumers."

Samsung has taken steps to try to encourage software creators.

It said that in order to "encourage more developers to join, the Tizen Store would provide a special promotional program to all developers for one year".

Having its own app store could help Samsung generate more revenue from app downloads.

That is because currently customers who purchase apps on Android-powered phones typically funnel revenue to Google rather than Samsung itself.

However, Mr Milroy agreed that Samsung faced a huge challenge in attracting customers to the Tizen Store.

"They have come late to the party and its going to take a long time to create an ecosystem that can rival and compete with Android, iOS or Microsoft."

Multi-platform?

Tizen is also seen by some as being attractive to app developers as it has promised to run software written in the HTML5 web language smoothly.

Mozilla's Firefox OS also relies on HTML5, offering developers the prospect of cross-platform compatibility in which they can write a single version of their app for multiple operating systems, helping cut costs and coding time.

HTML5-based apps can also be made to work on Android and iOS.

But last year developers, including Google and Facebook, faced performance issues when they released products using it, and later switched to native versions.

Samsung itself delayed the launch of the first smartphones using the operating system.

However, the firm has been looking to adapt the operating system in various gadgets of late.

The latest version of its smartwatch - Galaxy Gear 2 - uses Tizen, unlike its Android-powered predecessor.

On Sunday, Samsung announced that it would release a software development kit for TVs that allows developers to build applications for Tizen-based TVs.

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NSA 'scooping faces' from the net

2 June 2014 Last updated at 12:31

US cyber-spies have collected millions of photos of people's faces from the net for use in facial-recognition programmes, according to reports.

The New York Times says leaked National Security Agency documents show in 2011 it intercepted about 55,000 "facial-recognition-quality images" every day.

The leaks suggested the photos had been harvested from emails, text messages, social media and video chats, it says.

The NYT added the images were then cross-referenced with other databases.

These are said to include photographs of airline passengers, and pictures taken from other countries' national identity-card schemes.

The NSA has said that it does not have access to photos taken for US passports or US driving licences, but declined to comment about photos submitted by foreigners applying for visas to the country.

"We would not be doing our job if we didn't seek ways to continuously improve the precision of signals intelligence activities - aiming to counteract the efforts of valid foreign intelligence targets to disguise themselves or conceal plans to harm the United States and its allies," Vanee Vines, an NSA spokeswoman said.

Hits and misses

The allegations are the latest to result from documents released by Edward Snowden, who gathered the material while working at the NSA's regional centre in Hawaii.

The papers themselves highlight the limitations of relying on face-matching technology.

The NYT reported that Tundra Freeze - the codename for the NSA's main in-house facial-recognition effort - had returned several obvious mismatches when it had tried to identify a photo of a young bearded man with dark hair, according to a report dated 2011.

The paper said the software had also returned inaccurate results when agents had queried it about a photograph of Osama Bin Laden.

However, the NYT added that a leaked Powerpoint presentation had also provided an example where the software had successfully matched a photo of a bald man taken at a water park with another picture of the same person taken when he had hair, was wearing different clothes, and was at a different location.

Campaign group Privacy International said it was concerned about the security agencies' use of such facial-recognition tech.

"Though it's perceived as a sophisticated technique, even the NSA admits in its own presentation how prone to error it is," spokesman Mike Rispoli told the BBC.

"Not only is our most personal of information being collected, stored, and analysed, it's being done through faulty systems where there are no legal frameworks or safeguards.

"This latest revelation shows that intelligence agencies want to see everything and identify everyone.

"Their attacks on identity databases around the world shows just how right the UK was right to abandon the national ID [card]. Any national database is now a treasure trove for intelligence agencies, both domestic and foreign."

This is not the first of Edward Snowden's leaks to involve facial images.

In February, the Guardian reported British spy agency GCHQ had intercepted webcam images from millions of Yahoo users around the world.

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Russia to 'limit' US GPS satellites

2 June 2014 Last updated at 12:56 By Joe Miller Technology Reporter

Russian authorities have "implemented measures" to restrict the use of satellite bases in its territories that serve the US-owned GPS network.

The country's space agency said it would rule out "any military use" of the ground-based stations.

The move comes amid Russian attempts to build a US base for its GPS rival, the navigation system Glonass, which have been blocked by the US government.

However experts say the move will have no effect on GPS users worldwide.

GPS bases in Russia will be "stopped completely," if an agreement on Glonass stations in the US is not reached by 31 August, warned deputy prime minister, Dmitriy Rogozin.

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite navigation network owned and run by the US government.

It is used to provide accurate positioning for both civilian and military devices.

Ground-based monitor stations feed back geodesic information to space, which improves the system's accuracy.

Continue reading the main story

The US does not depend for the command and control of GPS on monitoring stations in Russia"

End Quote Prof David Last Navigation systems expert

In a statement, Russia's Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos, said it would "rule out" the use of information from network stations operating on the signals of the GPS system and located in the Russian Federation, "for purposes not covered by existing agreements, including military uses".

However, experts say the move will have a minimal effect, if any, on GPS users worldwide, with a possible loss of accuracy for some users in Russia.

Local users

Prof David Last, a consultant on navigation systems and previous president of the Royal Institute of Navigation, told the BBC the US "does not depend for the command and control of GPS on monitoring stations in Russia".

While there are a handful of stations around the world which monitor GPS under US government control, Russia only hosts smaller Continuously Operating Reference Stations (Cors), which primarily provide meteorological data and monitor earthquakes, but also feed some data to GPS satellites

"Their purpose is to increase reliability [of GPS] for local users," said Prof Last.

"Closing them will only have an effect on GPS users in Russia."

Cors are independently owned and run.

Russia's Glonass, which was established in the late 1970s, is the only global rival to GPS, and has been subject to failures in recent months.

The country's space agency has been trying to improve the system's accuracy, and wants to put a base station for Glonass in the US - a move which has been all but ruled out by the White House.

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Pirate Bay fugitive Sunde arrested

2 June 2014 Last updated at 13:10

The co-founder of notorious piracy listings site The Pirate Bay has been arrested in Sweden after two years on the run.

Peter Sunde, 35, had been sentenced to eight months in prison for violating copyright laws.

He was understood to be living in Germany, and had been on Interpol's Wanted Persons list.

The arrest comes days after Sunde failed to win a seat in the European Parliament elections.

He had been standing for the Finnish arm of the Pirate Party, a political movement which advocates, among other things, reformed copyright law.

The Pirate Bay, which is blocked in the UK, is one of the most-visited websites in the world.

The site does not host pirated content, but instead offers an expansive list of links to where it can be found.

A court ruled in 2013 that the UK's major internet service providers (ISPs) must stop users from accessing the site.

However, the site is still popular among determined users who make use of other tools to get around the ban.

'Burn everything'

Sunde was arrested on Saturday, authorities said, in Skaane, southern Sweden. It followed more than two years of evading authorities after failing to appear at the Swedish jail where he was due to be held.

"We have been looking for him since 2012," said Carolina Ekeus, a spokeswoman for the Swedish National Police Board.

"He was given eight months in jail so he has to serve his sentence."

Sunde was originally sentenced - along with co-founders Carl Lundstroem, Fredrik Neij and Gottfrid Svartholm Warg - in 2009. The group was also fined $3.6m (£2.4m).

Sunde, who used the alias "brokep" online, said at the time: "Even if I had any money I would rather burn everything I own and not even give them the ashes.

"They could have the job of picking them up. That's how much I hate the media industry."

The case has since been through various lengthy appeal processes.

In 2010, a Swedish appeal court increased the fine to $6.95m (£4.1m), but reduced the length of the jail sentences.

The most recent decision, made in May this year, saw the court reject a plea for the ruling to be overturned.

Warg was arrested in Cambodia in 2012 and extradited to face separate charges of hacking in Denmark.

Lundstroem has served his sentence, while Neij is believed to be hiding out in Laos.

It is unclear why Sunde was in Sweden at time of his arrest.

His lawyer Peter Althin told Swedish news agency TT: "Peter fought for file-sharing and in 10 years, I believe it will go without saying that file-sharing for one's own needs will be permitted.

"I still think the judgement was wrong."

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Russian sought in cybercrime sting

2 June 2014 Last updated at 19:39 By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News

The US has charged a Russian man with being behind a major cybercrime operation that affected individuals and businesses worldwide.

Evgeniy Bogachev, said to be known as "lucky12345" and "slavik", is accused of being involved in attacks on more than a million computers.

The charges came as authorities seized control of a botnet used to steal personal and financial data.

Computer users were urged to run checks to protect themselves from the threat.

In a press conference held on Monday, the US Department of Justice said it believed Mr Bogachev was last known to be residing in Anapa, Russia.

Cooperation with Russian authorities had been "productive", a spokesman added.

In a entry added to the FBI's Cyber Most Wanted list, it stated: "He is known to enjoy boating and may travel to locations along the Black Sea in his boat."

His charges, filed in a court in Pittsburgh, included conspiracy, wire, bank and computer fraud, and money laundering.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) said people probably had "two weeks" before the criminals would get the botnet functioning again, and posted advice on how to best protect computers.

Internet service providers (ISPs) will be contacting customers known to have been affected by either letter or email. The first notices were sent out on Monday, the BBC understands.

Advice from Get Safe Online

• Install internet security software from companies listed on Get Safe Online's Facebook and Google+ profiles to download a free tool to scan for Gameover Zeus and CryptoLocker, and remove them from your computer
• Do not open attachments in emails unless you are 100% certain that they are authentic
• Make sure your internet security software is up-to-date and switched on at all times
• Make sure your Windows operating system has the latest Microsoft updates applied
• Make sure your software programs have the latest manufacturers' updates applied
• Make sure all of your files including documents, photos, music and bookmarks are backed up and readily available in case you are no longer able to access them on your computer
• Never store passwords on your computer in case they are accessed by Gameover Zeus or another aggressive malware program

The action related to a strain of malware - meaning malicious software - known as Gameover Zeus.

Malware is typically downloaded by unsuspecting users via what is known as a phishing attack, usually in the form of an email that looks like it comes from somewhere legitimate - such as a bank - when it fact it is designed to trick a person into downloading malicious software.

Once installed on a victim's machine, Gameover Zeus will search specifically for files containing financial information.

If it cannot find anything it deems of worth, some strains of Gameover Zeus will then install Cryptolocker - a ransomware program that locks a person's machine until a fee is paid.

The FBI said Gameover Zeus could be responsible for "financial losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars".

Global action

In what has been described as the biggest ever operation of its kind, servers all over the world were raided simultaneously by the authorities.

"The scale of this operation is unprecedented," said Steve Rawlinson from Tagadab, a web hosting company involved in the take-down effort.

"This is the first time we've seen a co-ordinated, international approach of this magnitude, demonstrating how seriously the FBI takes this current threat."

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Rory Cellan-Jones reports on a "powerful computer attack", which people have two weeks to protect themselves from

The action meant the authorities could direct what are known as Command and Control (C&C) servers - the machines that control the operation of the botnet.

With the C&C servers under police control, criminals should temporarily be unable to manage the computers they hijacked - but only until they are able to set-up new C&C servers elsewhere.

All computer users are being urged to make sure that the malware has not infected their machines.

"This warning is not intended to cause you panic but we cannot over-stress the importance of taking these steps immediately," said UK-based Get Safe Online, a government-backed organisation that has published a list of software it recommends for the task.

Hi-tech crime terms

• Bot - one of the individual computers in a botnet; bots are also called drones or zombies
• Botnet - a network of hijacked home computers, typically controlled by a criminal gang
• Malware - an abbreviation for malicious software ie a virus, Trojan or worm that infects a PC
• Ransomware - like malware, but once in control it demands a fee to unlock a PC

"This is because the UK's NCA has taken temporary control of the communications used to connect with infected computers, but expects only a very limited window of opportunity to ensure you are protected."

Technical problems caused some users to become unable to access the Get Safe Online website on Monday afternoon.

A spokesman said: "We have been overwhelmed by the interest of those trying to take action to protect themselves by visiting our page.

"We are sorry about this and are working very hard to make the page available as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the advice can be accessed via our Facebook and Google+ pages."

More detailed information on the threat was published by the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Cert).

'Quarantined computers'

Following a slew of high-profile hack attacks in recent weeks - including eBay, Spotify and shoe retailer Office - security expert Rik Ferguson raised concerns that computer users might be suffering from "notification fatigue".

However, he stressed that this operation was more targeted, and should not be ignored.

"I think one of the things that is really critical with this operation is that if people are infected, it's going to be completely invisible to them," the Trend Micro security researcher said.

"One of the strengths of this operation is not only that it involved organisations around the world, but that it involved the ISPs as well.

"The ISPs will go out and proactively notify any of their customers who are infected."

He suggested that machines known to be infected by serious malware should be placed in a quarantined environment until the threat was removed.

"Making it uncomfortable, if not impossible, to use the internet is one of the most effective ways to do that," he said.

Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC

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Lockheed wins space radar contract

2 June 2014 Last updated at 23:43

Lockheed Martin has won a contract worth $915m (£546m) to supply the US Air Force with a ground-based radar for tracking objects in space.

It will be part of the Air Force's "space fence" programme designed to track satellites and smaller objects.

The system is planned to be operational from September 2018 and could be based on the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.

The number of man-made objects in space has increased dramatically as China and other nations have expanded operations.

Currently, the Air Force tracks around 23,000 objects in space.

But it is estimated that there are 500,000 bits of debris and satellites near the earth and the new radar will allow US authorities to track them more closely.

Lockheed, which is the biggest supplier to the Pentagon, beat rival Raytheon to win the deal.

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Apple takes on Dropbox and WhatsApp

3 June 2014 Last updated at 10:28 By Joe Miller Technology reporter

Apple has taken on Dropbox and WhatsApp with a series of software upgrades that mimic the rival apps' services.

At its annual conference for software developers, the firm unveiled iCloud Drive, an internet-based storage app, which works on Apple systems and PCs.

In an effort to keep customers using all its technologies, Apple improved integration for calls and messages across its devices.

It also unveiled new mobile and desktop operating systems.

Apple's iMessage app was given extra features, some of which are similar to rival service WhatsApp, recently acquired by Facebook for $19bn (£11.3bn).

Users will be able to easily create and modify group messages, send voice clips with a single swipe, and even create and exchange short video clips.

The ability to send and receive text messages across all Apple devices was also introduced.

Jan Koum, WhatsApp's co-founder, reacted to Apple's announcement by tweeting:

"Very flattering to see Apple "borrow" numerous WhatsApp features into iMessage in iOS 8 #innovation"

Apple also introduced HealthKit software that works with third-party wearable health devices.

A parallel app, called Health, measures users' personalised healthcare statistics, and even contacts their hospital directly if it notices irregularities.

"The announcements represent an ambitious move to diversify the Apple ecosystem into a number of new segments," said Geoff Blaber, an analyst at the CCS Insight consultancy.

"Critics will complain of no new devices but the Worldwide Developers Conference creates the foundation for the products [Apple chief executive] Tim Cook is promising in the second half of the year."

iCloud Drive allows users to save any type of file on the firm's remote servers and then access it via an iOS device, Mac computer or Windows PC.

Users do not have to pay an extra fee unless they want use more than five gigabytes of storage.

That is more than Dropbox's 2GB sign-up allowance, but less than Google Drive's 15GB provision, Microsoft One Drive's 7GB limit and Box's 10GB cap.

Apple's service includes the ability to email attachments of up to 5GB, something also offered by Dropbox and HighTail - a specialist data-sharing facility.

Continue reading the main story

This feels like the most 'open' Apple has ever been in both content and tone"

End Quote Lea Simpson Strategy director, TH_NK

However, Apple made no mention of iCloud Drive being accessible via Android, unlike the other services that offer apps via Google's Play store.

"iCloud drive [is a] big shot at consumer Dropbox, if it works well," tweeted Benedict Evans, an analyst at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz - a nod to the fact that Apple has faced problems with its online services in the past.

Former chief executive Steve Jobs had previously attempted to buy Dropbox, reportedly warning its founders that he intended to go after the same market when they refused.

Automated homes

The latest version of Apple's operating system for desktops and laptops, entitled OS X 10.10 Yosemite, features a flattened design, and closer integration with other Apple devices, allowing users to make and receive calls and text messages from their iPhone on their desktops or laptops.

Like its predecessor, Mavericks, OS X Yosemite will be made available as a free update to existing Mac users.

Apple boss Tim Cook also showcased the tech giant's forthcoming mobile operating system, iOS 8, and emphasised cross-device integration. One feature, Handoff, allows users to start a task on one device and instantly pick it up on another.

Apple's software engineering vice-president, Craig Federighi, also unveiled HomeKit, which allows users to control their home environment with smartphones.

"Only your iPhone can open your garage door, or unlock your door," he told the audience in San Francisco.

"With Siri integration you can say something like 'get ready for bed' and be assured that your garage door is closed, your door is locked, the thermostat is lowered and your lights are dimmed."

Analysis: Richard Taylor, BBC North America technology correspondent

Today's non-announcements of much-rumoured products like an "iWatch" will disappoint those who had hoped for the "amazing and exciting" new devices that Apple boss Tim Cook has promised this year.

But in truth this conference was always going to be about software rather than new devices; the Cupertino-based firm will leave those to the Autumn in time for the holiday season spending spree.

As predicted Apple is at least dipping its toes into new waters. If the health-centric features are well-executed, and can reconcile the various methods used by fitness band makers to measure our vitals, then it could indeed prove a powerful one-stop shop for this information. The big unknown: does it presage the introduction of Apple's own biometric-sensor wristwatch?

Similarly the HomeKit is a welcome attempt to unify the multitude of smart devices beginning to appear in our homes - but here precious little detail was forthcoming.

As people increasingly use multiple devices - laptops, tablets and smartphones - much of the focus was predictably on streamlining the user experience between them. Amongst the many enhancements were some genuinely exciting innovations - like making or receiving phone calls on any nearby Apple device.

But other "innovations" will already be somewhat familiar to Android smartphone users - like iCloud Drive, predictive text and the ability to use different keyboards. Apple will hope that its painstaking attention to design and usability will give it an edge, and buy it some time to win over industry-watchers anxiously waiting for Tim Cook to deliver on "the next big thing".

Fingerprint access

Apple also announced it would open up its Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology to third-party software developers - allowing device owners to avoid having to type in passwords - and let users install alternative keyboards including Nuance's Swype.

Lea Simpson, strategy director at digital agency TH_NK, told the BBC this year's conference "feels like the most 'open' Apple has ever been in both content and tone," as it announced integration with outside partners.

For example, the Health app will integrate data from Nike and other firms' fitness apps, and the tech firm is also working with medical care company Mayo Clinic in the US and NHS Cambridge University Trust in the UK.

Last week, Apple announced it was buying headphone maker and music streaming service Beats for $3bn - the company's biggest acquisition to date.

No further details on the Beats deal were revealed, but co-founder and hip-hop star Dr Dre did make an appearance as a caller in a demonstration of how a Mac computer can now be used to make and receive calls if it is linked to the owner's iPhone.

Apple shares, which have been doing well recently, closed about 0.7% lower on the day.

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Pixar gives away 3D film software

3 June 2014 Last updated at 12:28 By Joe Miller Technology Reporter

The 3D rendering software behind films such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Harry Potter is to be given away free for non-commercial use.

RenderMan, which is developed by Pixar, has faced increased competition from rival animation rendering programmes such as VRay and Arnold.

Although Pixar, which is owned by Disney, produces its own films, it licenses RenderMan to rival studios.

The company has also cut the price of its software for commercial use.

Continue reading the main story

Anyone with an interest in computer graphics will have free access to a state-of-the-art renderer"

End Quote Nick Cannon MPC Film

In a statement, the firm said it would release a free version of RenderMan "without any functional limitations, watermarking, or time restrictions".

"Non-commercial RenderMan will be freely available for students, institutions, researchers, developers, and for personal use," it added.

Ian Dean, editor of computer graphics magazine 3D World, told the BBC the move "could be seen as a reaction to the rise of alternatives such as Arnold," but that Disney/Pixar are also looking to "build a community".

He added that RenderMan, which has been around for more than 25 years, was "very important at the higher end of the entertainment, animation and visual effects industries".

London calling

The new version of RenderMan was unveiled in London, which has become a global hub for the visual effects (VFX) industry.

Pixar's business director Chris Ford said his company chose to make the "most important announcement concerning RenderMan in over a decade" in London because of the importance of its VFX community.

Lee Danskin, the technical director of Escape Technology, which sells RenderMan to VFX houses in the UK, welcomed the move, saying the software would be more widely adopted as a result.

"In the last 18 months, a lot of new players have entered the marketplace," he told the BBC.

"They got there quicker than Pixar, but this is Pixar's answer - and it's quite an answer."

But, Mr Danskin explained, RenderMan is "not something you can just pick up and start using" as familiarity with animation software is a pre-requisite.

MPC Film - the company that did the visual effects for Game of Thrones, Godzilla and Life of Pi - said it welcomed the free RenderMan release, as it would acquaint up-and-coming artists with the software.

"It's great news that anyone with an interest in computer graphics will be able to have free access to a state of the art renderer from Pixar, the very same software that the world's leading computer graphics artists use to render the images seen in the vast majority of feature animation on live action visual effects films," Nick Cannon, director of technology and operations at MPC Film told the BBC.

The new version of the software is due to be released ahead of the Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques (Siggraph) conference in August.

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Apple warms to virtual currencies

3 June 2014 Last updated at 12:49

Apps accepting payments made with virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, could soon appear in Apple's app store.

The firm has changed its policy for apps to allow software developers to use "approved virtual currencies".

Apple has yet to publish a list of which virtual currencies it considers to be "approved".

Many have taken this to mean that the Bitcoin cyber-cash system will soon be included in Apple apps as it is the most widely used virtual currency.

The policy change marks a significant shift for Apple, which before now has been aggressive in its policing of apps that use virtual currencies.

In late 2013 and early 2014 Apple took action against apps that used virtual cash even though many of the programs had been available on the store for months. Some apps removed virtual currency code from their program so they could stay on the store but others were forced out altogether.

Gliph, CoinJar, Coinbase, Blockchain and other apps were all affected by the action.

By contrast, Google has had a much more open policy, and there are now many Android apps that support different virtual currencies.

Gliph developer Rob Banagale told the Bloomberg news service that he was now planning to submit a new version of his app to Apple that restored its ability to send and receive payments in bitcoins.

Virtual currencies are built around shared software that generates or "mines" coins by getting lots of computers to carry out complicated mathematical operations.

Apple's decision comes as satellite TV firm Dish says it will accept payments made in bitcoins.

In addition, the value of one bitcoin has been steadily rising in recent weeks.

In late November 2013 each bitcoin was briefly worth about $1,000 (£596) but the value collapsed soon after.

Current exchange rates suggest each one is now worth about $650.

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